Commonwealth, state and territory governments have agreed to progress work towards a national product stewardship scheme for solar panels, ensuring they are managed from start to end of life.At Friday’s meeting of the Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council in Sydney, NSW presented a paper advocating a national mandated scheme to prevent solar panels ending up in landfill, instead directing them towards remanufacture or recycling. NSW is already developing a mandated stewardship program for batteries.Annual solar panel waste volumes in Australia are predicted to nearly double over the next five years, from 59,340 tonnes in 2025 to 91,165 tonnes in 2030. The surge in waste is expected to be greatest in metropolitan cities from domestic use, with volumes beginning to grow in regional areas from large-scale solar facilities after 2030.Energy Ministers recognised increasing calls for improved end-of-life management of solar panels, including those at large-scale facilities. Many solar panels are disposed of well before the end of their useful life and typically end up in landfill, stockpiled, or exported.More than 95% of a solar panel is recyclable and contains valuable materials, including aluminium, glass, copper, silver and silicon, which can be beneficially recovered and reused.The Smart Energy Council estimates that around one-third of solar panels could be re-used instead of being thrown away. This could contribute up to 24 gigawatts of energy by 2040, enough to power six million homes a year.Energy Ministers agreed that NSW will lead preliminary work, together with other jurisdictions, in drawing up a Regulatory Impact Statement.The draft will help the Government evaluate options for a national mandatory product stewardship scheme that could catalyse a national recycling and reuse sector for solar panels and their batteries.The Commonwealth is also supporting low-cost recycling technologies for solar PV through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, to help support the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of industry approaches to solar product stewardship.Minister for Energy and the Environment, Penny Sharpe, said, “We are proud to be leading the charge to create a unified approach to solar panel waste management and recycling.“This work builds on the momentum of our nation-leading reform on batteries, and the new legislation already in place in NSW to enable a mandatory product stewardship scheme – ensuring suppliers take responsibility for the safe design, recycling and disposal of their products.”Smart Energy Council CEO, John Grimes, said, “It's been a decade since the federal government acknowledged solar panels going into landfill was a problem. Now, four million panels are coming off roofs a year, with less than 5% being recycled.“The time for talk has passed, an immediate first step is a national solar stewardship pilot to keep the industry alive and inform the Regulatory Impact Statement.“The Smart Energy Council welcomes the restated focus from governments on the critical need for stewardship of solar PV, and particularly acknowledges the efforts of the NSW government for leading on this.’Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union NSW/ACT State Secretary Brad Pidgeon said:"A national solar panel stewardship scheme is a major opportunity for Australian jobs.“Remanufacturing and recycling panels here means more onshore work in the renewable energy supply chain instead of shipping valuable materials offshore or losing them as waste."

While Lismore Base Hospital (LBH) struggles to turn its key measures around for its emergency department in terms of patient treatment times, its nurses and doctors are recording satisfaction scores well above the 90s.The results are not just exceptional for Lismore, they are across the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD), where health staff have been recognised for their ‘kind and caring’ treatment of adult patients, in the latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) survey.The District was among the top performers in BHI’s 2024 Adult Admitted Patient Survey, which asked patients admitted to hospital about their experiences across a range of important aspects of care.The survey shows that 93 per cent of respondents rated their overall care as ‘very good’ or ‘good’, slightly higher than the NSW average of 92 per cent. LBH's figure was 94%Almost all surveyed patients (96 per cent) rated the nurses who treated them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’, with LBH receiving a 98% score. While doctors who treated them as 'very good' or 'good', scored a 95 per cent rating, LBH doctors scored 97%It further found 89 per cent of patients rated the treatment they received from health professionals as ‘kind and caring'. Once again, LBH scored higher than the NNSWLHD average, with 91%.The majority of patients (90 per cent) found staff to be polite and welcoming upon their arrival at hospital, while 91 per cent of patients felt they were treated with respect and dignity.Across the District, health staff were rated significantly above the NSW average for their teamwork and organisation.Murwillumbah District Hospital and Casino and District Memorial Hospital were standout performers, with both recording among the best satisfaction levels in the state, when compared to facilities of a similar size. NNSWLHD Chief Executive Tracey Maisey thanked all of the District’s health staff for their unwavering commitment to providing kind, compassionate and professional care for patients.“People are often at their most vulnerable when they are in hospital, so to know our doctors and nurses are so highly regarded by our patients is extremely heartening,” Ms Maisey said.“Our health staff are known for their focus on patient-centred care, and these results, particularly in the area of kindness and compassion, are particularly pleasing.“I’d like to thank each and every one of our staff for their dedication to providing the best care for our patients every day.“I’d also like to thank all those who took the time to complete this survey. A total of 2,401 patients from NNSWLHD provided their feedback.“This high participation rate enriches our data and provides an accurate reflection of the opinion of our patients, which is vital in helping us focus on areas in need of improvement.”Individual hospital resultsBALLINA DISTRICT HOSPITAL:77 per cent of patients rated the overall care they received as ‘very good’.Almost all patients (97 per cent) rated the nurses who cared for them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.96 per cent rated the doctors who cared for them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.91 per cent said staff ‘always’ treated them with respect and dignity.90 per cent said their health professionals were always kind and caring.Overall, Ballina recorded seven measures which were significantly above the NSW average.BYRON CENTRAL HOSPITAL:88 per cent of patients rated the overall care they received as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.96 per cent of patients rated their doctors as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.89 per cent rated their nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.83 per cent said they were ‘always’ treated with respect and dignity while in hospital.82 per cent of patients said the health professionals were always kind and caring.CASINO & DISTRICT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL:Almost all patients, (93 per cent) rated their overall hospital care as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.96 per cent of patients rated their nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.95 per cent rated their doctors as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.91 per cent of patients said the health professionals ‘always’ treated them with respect and dignity.89 per cent said they were always kind and caring. Casino recorded 22 measures significantly above the state average, across areas such as overall care, trust and confidence, respect and kindness, communication, organisation of care and cleanliness.GRAFTON BASE HOSPITAL:94 per cent of patients rated their overall care as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.97 per cent rated the doctors who cared for them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’96 per cent rated their nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.91 per cent said they were always treated with respect and dignity.88 per cent said the health professionals were always kind and caringLISMORE BASE HOSPITAL:94 per cent of patients rated the overall care they received as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.97 per cent rated the doctors who treated them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.98 per cent rated the nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.91 per cent said the health professionals were always kind and caring. Overall, Lismore recorded seven measures which were significantly above the NSW average.MACLEAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL:93 per cent of patients rated their overall care as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.96 per cent rated their nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.94 per cent said their doctors were either ‘very good’ or ‘good’.91 per cent said the health professionals were always kind and caring.92 per cent said they were always treated with dignity and respect.MURWILLUMBAH DISTRICT HOSPITAL:Almost all patients (97 per cent) rated the overall care they received as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.98 per cent rated their nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good.96 per cent rated their doctors as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.96 per cent said their health professionals were ‘always’ kind and caring, equal highest in the state.96 per cent said they were always treated with respect and dignity.92 per cent would speak highly of their experience if asked by family and friends.Murwillumbah recorded 34 measures significantly higher than the NSW average, receiving positive feedback from patients for overall hospital care, organisation of care, respect and kindness, communication and involvement in decision-making, and cleanliness.TWEED VALLEY HOSPITAL:92 per cent of patients rated the overall care they received as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.92 per cent rating the doctors as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.94 per cent rating the nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.84 per cent of patients said health professionals were always kind and caring89 per cent said they were always treated with respect and dignity.

House buybacks have been a contentious issue for the community since they were announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and then NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet in October 2022.Contentious because of the determination as to who would receive a buyback from the $880 million Resilient Homes Program (RHP) in the Northern Rivers and who would miss out.Contentious because when the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC) first tabled the amount needed in NSW Parliament, it was $1.4 billion, and we ended up with $880 million.This meant that some homeowners who wanted a house buyback would miss out. Kerrie and Tony Loveday are an example of people who would take a buyback if it were offered. However, that is looking extremely unlikely.Part of the criteria used by the NSWRA (Reconstruction Authority) was to offer buybacks to those deemed to be at high risk in a future flood. That was determined by flood modelling at the time; however, no details were released to the public. And then there were 'extenuating circumstances', so the elderly, those receiving NDIS funding, the infirmed, those left traumatised, etc. These were determined on a case-by-case basis.If you turn the clock back to February 28 2022, with the water level rising rapidly around you, then entering your house, and reports saying that this will be a 14-metre flood. What do you do?Kerrie and Tony did what many people did that day: they swam to higher ground, which happened to be their neighbours' house, as their floor height was just over 14 metres. They swam together for safety and were hit in the back by a table and other floating objects from the fast-flowing current. This was while listening to the cries for help from other neighbours.Kerrie and Tony have submitted five claims for a house buyback, but their harrowing experience was deemed not traumatising enough by the NSWRA, according to Kerrie."It was the second last appeal, so the fourth one, I got a phone call stating that, from what they can see in my appeal for a buyback, I haven't been traumatised enough. I kind of got a bit stroppy. I said, so it's not normal to swim from a front door. It's not normal.""I had Kerrie on my back," Tony chimed in. "Because she was stressing out so much, pushing me under the water. We're getting hit by gas bottles and stuff coming out black and blue. It was crazy. They just don't seem to care."It wasn't just getting themselves to safety. Marley, the family cat, and Ruby, the family pug, were rescued by Tony via a tub and suitcase in a return swim once Kerrie was safe.Kerrie continued sharing her memories of that day."Hearing people screaming, like our neighbour across the road, she was 80, getting up and down on a ladder, and she was screaming, hoping somebody would rescue her. We felt really bad because the boat came about 11am to collect us. She was screaming for help, and we said, Go and collect her. He goes, No, somebody will come back for her."And then when we got onto Casino Street, all I remember is, it looked like a family of five, and they looked like deer in headlights, these big, wide eyes, just absolutely petrified on the awning of their roof.""I just don't understand how they can feel that that wasn't traumatising enough. And they go, Oh, you've got no psychologist reports. Everyone deals with trauma in their own way. They don't have to go and see a psychologist."Just by sitting down and talking to people, seeing how they react after Cyclone Alfred that came through, there are a lot of people that are still suffering PTSD, and I am definitely one of them."Kerrie and Tony's story improves a little at this point because Kerrie's brother, Tim, a wall and floor tiler, came down from Brisbane to help renovate the house and make it liveable again. He also brought his caravan with him, allowing them to live in the driveway for six months until they could move back in, as the threat of looters was high.Rather than wait and see what the government was going to do, the Lovedays were back in their lovely renovated house towards the end of 2022 when the Resilient Homes program was announced and the buybacks were starting to be discussed."According to them, we're low risk. That's what they've said. We're low risk," Kerrie stated.A few houses down Crown Lane, one home is fenced off after receiving a buyback. Around the corner on Webster Street, you can see a few more houses that have been bought back by the NSWRA. In this part of South Lismore, they are the exception rather than the rule.The street has also changed as neighbours sold their homes for what they could get to move out of the flood zone. Some went higher up the hill to Goonellabah, while others left Lismore altogether.Back to Kerrie's ongoing battle with the NSWRA to be offered a buyback."I was told after the last one, because I said, well, it won't be the last you'll hear of me. And they go, No, that is your last review. You are not allowed to put any more in. And I went, who said so? She went back and spoke to someone else, and they said, No, you cannot put any more reviews in. We'll approve you for a retrofit or a house raise."They've only had one retrofit approved from the last statistics I looked at. The hoops I've got to jump through. I have to give them all my receipts, which is not a problem, I've got a filing cabinet full of receipts, but they're all faded because they only last a certain amount of time, and my brother was the builder, so when they came through last time, they said, if you just get your brother to do a stat dec (statutory declaration), saying he's put the house back together, and if you've got proof that you've been giving him money every week. I said, Yep, not a problem. But then, when they phoned me three weeks ago, they said, Oh no, who told you that we can do that? They're always backpeddling."And then there's the house raising. That's an absolute joke, because I had a house raiser from Byron Bay who didn't even come here. He just Googled my house and said, Oh yes, gonna be about $200k to raise it. He knew what the government is putting in, because he goes, you'll get 100 (thousand) and buffer for another 20, so you'll get about 120,000, and you'll have to put in 80,000 or so. He said, I'll be out of pocket about $80,000."Kerrie also explained that the land is on pug soil, like most of the Lismore CBD. This brings other challenges when raising a house."When it moves, things will shift. And he said, No. He goes, it'll be levelled straight up. And he goes, so your kitchen will probably pop, your walls will pop, tiles will crack. So, you'll probably be up for about $130,000 to $140,000 because your whole house would have to be redone."The Lismore App contacted a local house raising company, who confirmed that damage to a house could occur if it were raised. Each situation is different.There are a lot of variables for people like Kerrie and Tony, which raises the question of how to move forward.Do they spend $80,000 to raise the house and possibly more, depending on the damage it would do to raise their house?Do they stay put and go through the retrofit process to recoup money spent on the renovation and continue to be traumatised when it rains?Even if they were granted a buyback, the price they may be offered may not reach the pre-2022 flood levels of $800,000 to $850,000 from a real estate agent. The common range is $500,000 to $650,000.Regardless of which way Kerrie and Tony turn, there appear to be both inconvenience and additional costs. The positive sign is that they do not have a mortgage, but removing themselves from the floodplain and purchasing a property out of the flood-zone, would change that scenario."At our age, we really don't want to have another mortgage. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Kerrie ended.The Lismore App contacted the NSWRA for comment. An RA spokesperson said, "We do not discuss individual cases for privacy reasons. However, the Authority is happy to meet the property owners to discuss the issues raised.It is another tale of the 2022 big flood trauma and how people move forward with their lives. The options are not always palatable from a Resilient Homes Program that was flawed from the start.

The new once-a-month Sunday Bowlo Markets were in full sunlight and full swing yesterday at the Lismore Bowling Club.After a week of opening anything that moved last week, Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin and Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg reunited to cut the ribbon to formally declare the markets open. Also in attendance were the club's five life members, ranging in age from mid-eighties to 94. There have been two previous markets in June and July. The Bowlo Markets are held on the bowling green near the Lismore Baths, and have already grown from 25 to over 40 stallholders selling everything from baby clothes, metal artwork, woodwork, hats, fur wear for your pet, opal jewellery and different food offerings.Mayor Krieg said the development application that the Bowling Club needed to lodge to operate was successful, so Sharon and Mark Pepper, along with the Board, can legally operate the markets on the third Sunday of every month."One of the most asked questions that Janelle and I get constantly is when are the Car Boot Markets coming back?, or when are we getting a market in town? The cinema is number one, and we have solved that problem with them opening before Christmas, hopefully. The markets were number two," Mayor Krieg said."I just want to say it is exciting to be here, and I want to thank everybody associated with the Lismore Bowling Club, not only for today, but for the way they stepped up in providing live entertainment and services here."“The Lismore City Bowlo already has its Jazz afternoons on the first Sunday of the month, and now the markets on the Third Sunday, and they can go ahead even if it rains.”"This is actually one of those days where you can truly celebrate," Ms Saffin told the crowd. "And I know this will grow bigger and better."The next Lismore Bowlo Market will be held on Sunday, 21 September, 171A Molesworth Street, between 9am and 1pm.

Resilient Lismore is holding its first formal dinner, Hearts and Stars, at the Lismore Regional Gallery on 19th September.“We welcome locals to dress up, dine and celebrate our strengths, while raising our spirits!” said Elly Bird, Executive Director.The evening promises glamour, fun, and community connection – all while raising funds to support Resilient Lismore’s ongoing recovery and resilience work across the Northern Rivers. There will be games to play and prizes to win – including best dressed award!.“The theme is ‘Hearts and Stars’, so we’re encouraging guests to wear their hearts on their sleeves and shine like stars,” said Emma Newman, Events Coordinator. “It’s a chance to feel fabulous while supporting something really meaningful.”The MC for the evening will be funny lady Gabrielle Griffin (GG), who you may know from band duo Mutton, or previously from The Two Frocks, or maybe even from the face of the Sun at the recent Lantern Parade. Local musicians will provide dulcet tunes, and games will be played for prizes. Sumptuous catering will be provided by Take Care Cafe, the new cafe at the gallery.Funds raised will support Resilient Lismore to continue to offer a free tool library, community events, workshops in tool and repair skills and support locals to be better prepared for future disasters.Hearts & Stars DetailsA night with Resilient Lismore Lismore Regional Gallery Friday 19th September 2025 from 5.30 – 9.30pmBookings essentialTickets:Early bird until 5th September $60Second round 6th to 14th September $70For ages 18 +Enquiries: 0411 967 690 or events@resilientlismore.org.auBookings & info: resilientlismore.org.au/workshops-events/ or come into the Resilient Lismore Hub at 215 Keen Street, Wednesday to Friday, 10am to 2pm.

A new study has found that improving pre-hospital stroke identification accuracy in women to match that of men will lead to significant health benefits and cost savings for all Australians.Published in the Medical Journal of Australia, the study sought to estimate the long-term gains in life years and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and the cost savings that could be achieved if ischaemic stroke was identified in women with the same level of accuracy received by men, versus the status quo.Western Sydney University lead researcher, Associate Professor Lei Si from the School of Health Sciences and the Translational Health Research Institute, said that women are 11 per cent less likely than men to be correctly identified as having a stroke by emergency medical staff.The study used a health economic modelling approach to quantify the health and economic cost of the missed opportunity to diagnose women as accurately as men are currently diagnosed, revealing that it costs the Australian public millions.“Our study shows that if we could match the accuracy with which men’s strokes are identified, women would gain an average of 51 extra days of life and nearly a month of life in perfect health — all while saving nearly $3,000 in healthcare costs per patient,” said Associate Professor Si, corresponding author of the study.“At the national level, this could translate to over 250 additional life years, 144 extra quality-adjusted life years, and $5.4 million in healthcare savings each year.”“This is an important finding because accurate and timely pre-hospital stroke identification increases the chance of receiving intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) within the critical 60-minute treatment window, which significantly improves patient health outcomes and saves medical costs.”Jordan Springs resident, Kelly Ryan, was only 32 years old when she suffered a stroke in September 2020 in the cerebellum posterior part of her brain after a chiropractic session left her with a bilateral vertebral artery dissection.At the time, her symptoms were loss of balance, blurred double vision, vomiting, and an ice-pick style headache, and she was incorrectly diagnosed with vertigo and a migraine.F.A.S.T is the current acronym commonly used in identifying a stroke, which includes noticing changes in a patient’s Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and acting in a Timely manner to receive treatment for the best outcomes.However, the F.A.S.T protocol does not capture all types of strokes and overlooks other stroke symptoms, including changes in balance, eyes and nausea that Kelly was experiencing.While both men and women can experience the classic F.A.S.T positive stroke symptoms, women are more likely to present with additional, sometimes subtle, symptoms that can easily be overlooked.“Initially, I was shrugged off as just having a migraine and vertigo, as I was not FAST positive, it took six hours to get a CT scan, and I was sent home with an outpatient appointment for an MRI a week later. It took a total of 2 weeks to be diagnosed as having a stoke,” said Kelly.“Had my stroke been recognised early on, I may have been a candidate for the clot-busting drug, which could have stopped or at least reduced the damage of the stroke.”“People all around the world have been through the same thing, sometimes even waiting months for someone to take them seriously, as medical staff are so focused on someone being FAST positive to diagnose stroke, people like me are falling through the cracks.”The study, ‘Health and economic benefits of improving pre-hospital identification of stroke in Australian women: a modelling study’ was led by a team of researchers from Western Sydney University, UNSW Sydney, and The George Institute for Global Health Australia and UK.

Goonellabah’s Tucki Tucki Creek is showing signs of ecological recovery thanks to the sustained efforts of two dedicated Landcare groups, according to ongoing water quality monitoring conducted by local environmental consultancy Ecoteam. Ecoteam was founded in 2003 with a handful of founding staff members and is a Lismore business success story despite challenges such as COVID and recent major floods, with 22 employees at present.Ecoteam very generously agreed to undertake detailed bi-annual stream and ecosystem health assessments on the Tucki Tucki Creek on a pro bono basis over a period of three years, commencing in December 2023. Since that start date, twice-yearly assessments by Ecoteam staff members have tracked the health of the creek at two key sites. Fresh water testing at Site 1 takes place upstream on the Tucki Tucki Creek near Birdwing Butterfly Gully in the area managed by Goonellabah Tucki Landcare, with Site 2 downstream at a pool and reach under Just Street Landcare’s stewardship. The monitoring program combines water quality testing, macroinvertebrate sampling, and fish surveys to evaluate stream health. Field teams measure in-situ parameters like pH and temperature using handheld devices, collect water samples for laboratory analysis, and assess turbidity levels. Aquatic macroinvertebrates are sampled with nets to gauge biodiversity and ecosystem health, while fish are surveyed using traps and nets to record species presence and abundance. These methods collectively offer a comprehensive picture of the creek’s ecological condition.Initial findings and ongoing challengesResults from the last two years indicate that water quality in the Tucki Tucki Creek has generally remained within Australian guidelines, with key indicators such as dissolved oxygen, phosphorus and turbidity staying stable. However, nutrient levels, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, have exceeded recommended thresholds in recent sampling rounds. Total nitrogen peaked at 0.52 mg/L at Site 1 in June 2025, and phosphorus levels also rose above guideline levels, likely due to increased stormwater runoff from heavy rainfall events, which occurred prior and during the past two sampling assessments. Despite these nutrient spikes, heavy metals such as lead, zinc, and arsenic have remained low, suggesting minimal contamination from industrial sources.Encouragingly, biological indicators point to a healthier ecosystem. Macroinvertebrate diversity has increased; documented through improved macroinvertebrate assessment or ‘SIGNAL’ scores, which reflect better water quality. Fish diversity remains limited, with the Crimson Spotted Rainbow Fish consistently present, although their numbers fluctuate seasonally. Rarer species like Firetail Gudgeon and Catfish were only observed in December 2023, indicating that some aquatic fauna are still recovering.(Ecoteam scientists examining macroinvertebrates)Protecting our platypus populationPlatypus face threats nationwide and locally due to habitat loss and water pollution. While the creek’s current water quality remains within acceptable limits for platypus survival, levels of nutrients like phosphorus are approaching thresholds that could impact their populations. Elevated nitrogen and phosphorus levels can reduce aquatic invertebrate prey and degrade habitat quality, increasing the risk of decline. Maintaining and improving water quality through continued restoration and monitoring is vital to ensure the future of this unique species, which is sighted regularly at Tucki Tucki Creek.Looking ahead: continued monitoring and restorationGoonellabah Tucki and Just Street Landcare’s riparian planting and habitat restoration efforts appear to be making a positive difference, enhancing the creek’s resilience to storm events and improving overall ecosystem health. The next phase of Ecoteam’s monitoring program will include new sampling sites plus data collection over a further three years in partnership with Goonellabah Tucki Landcare on its significant new project site bordering on the Tucki Tucki Creek below Kookaburra Terrace and further East. Approximately 10 hectares is being planted as part of a project funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, supported by Lismore City Council’s Environmental Strategies Team. This extensive new site will add to the approximately 18 hectares of regenerating riparian rainforest already planted along Tucki Tucki Creek which is enjoyed and appreciated by so many residents and visitors. Ecoteam’s onging testing across the new site aims to provide a baseline to measure potential long-term improvements in water quality and creek health at the largest single riparian planting project ever undertaken by Goonellabah Tucki Landcare.Takeout from the water quality testingEcoteam senior environmental engineer and company director Lise Bolton oversees the water quality testing program, which provides the opportunity for a sizeable number of her scientific and other staff to undertake sampling and monitoring. (Ecoteam's Jacob and Anna using a fish trap in the Birdwing Butterfly walk)“We’re really happy to partner with Landcare groups and provide our knowledge and expertise on a sponsorship basis,” commented Lise. “We’d like to see the scientific assessment of the state of all our region’s waterways form the basis of an annual ‘Healthy Waterways Report Card’ which can inform everyone just how their favourite creeks, streams and rivers are doing.”“The encouraging signs from Tucki Tucki Creek’s waterway health and water quality monitoring underscore the importance of sustained ecological restoration and vigilant water quality monitoring and management,” said Lise, adding that “Support from local government to establish a more widespread and comprehensive Healthy Waterways program would bolster these efforts, ensuring that Goonellabah’s creeks remain vibrant habitats for native species and a vital part of the community’s natural landscape.”

Finker Bubble owner Wen Chua was relieved to finally open her bubble tea shop on Keen Street a week ago. Wen arrived in Lismore about a year ago – and this It was her second attempt at trying to open the shop.In February, she was only three days away from opening - when Lismore’s biggest flood arrived and destroyed the new business.But, Wen knew she was not going to give up. Now, after months of renovations, she is now finally serving bubble tea to the Lismore community.“I always knew I would try and open again, I put a lot of money into the shop – and I had friends who helped me,” Wen said.“I love bubble tea – I know many people here haven’t had it before, and I want everyone to try it.”So, what is bubble tea?Bubble tea is a sweet drink, based on mixing milk with tea and adding toppings like coconut jelly, and popping balls – as well as fruit flavours such as strawberry, lychee and mango.Bubble tea is often referred to as a ‘chunky’ drink – because of the chewy pearls of tapioca that sit in the bottom of the cup – and you suck them into your mouth through a thick straw.It’s a drink that’s been popular with kids and adults all over Asia – and it’s a drink that Wen has grown up with.“As a child in Malaysia, nearly every day after school I would gather with my friends to drink bubble tea,” Wen said.“We would stand around in school uniform at the bubble tea stall on the street and drink bubble tea.”Wen said her favourite bubble tea is the one made with matcha tea, but the most popular one that’s sold in the shop is the brown sugar with fresh milk, cheese foam and boba (bubbles, or pearls of tapioca).“When you drink the cheese foam, you taste it first, then sip the tea, then combine it and the balance should be perfect,” Wen said.Finker Bubble will be open six days a week, Monday to Saturday from 11am to 8.30pm.This photo of the shop was taken by Wen just days before the flood arrived to destroy the shop.

For aromatherapist and holistic bodywork practitioner Anne Walker, finding a new space to open in since the floods has been tricky. But now, Anne’s business, Le Petit Aromatique Apothecary, has found a new home in Lismore’s Club Lane.In her new second floor premises, Anne has set up her massage clinic. But unlike her pre-flood shop location in the Star Court Arcade, she doesn’t yet have a shop front to sell her essential oils from. It’s something she hopes will change over time. For now, she’s just glad to be open again. ‘The little aromatic pharmacy’Anne first opened ‘the little aromatic pharmacy’ in 2019 after she visited the South of France and loved it.“Aromatherapy is very affiliated with French culture and I’d always dreamed of having an apothecary,” Anne said.“Usually an apothecary (pharmacy) is associated with herbal medicine but I wanted to open one dedicated to aromatherapy.“So, when I came back, I moved my massage clinic from Nimbin to Lismore and opened a shop front dedicated to selling over-the-counter aromatic medicine.“People would drop in and I would mix oils, creams or lotions on the spot. I would also do massages using essential oils.”The shop lasted three years, until the February flood destroyed her business.Like many other business owners, she had moved her stock up high, but it wasn’t enough.“I saved a few things that I’d put in the Star Court Theatre, but not much,” Anne said.“It was the second time I’d lost a business to flood – it happened to my previous business in 2017 as well.“Reopening this time took a while because I wasn’t emotionally ready for a long time. I needed to be in a good space to look after other people.“Then I found the Club Lane place when I was visiting the naturopath next door.“It’s a nice room with lots of light and a good affordable starting point for me.“I’m taking massage bookings and will have some apothecary items for sale and some flood stock is also available.“People can book in for consultations – I’ve been practicing remedial massage and reflexology for 20 years and bio-dynamic craniosacral therapy for ten years .“I also do aromatherapy massage and facials or feet treats.”Anne said she loves the essential oil single vetiver for grounding - but also likes to use rose, for grief and loss.The new Le Petit Aromatique Apothecary is located at Level 1, Suite 4 Club Lane, 71 Molesworth Street. If you would like to book in for an appointment, you can phone 0408 490 385, or visit Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lepetitaromatiqueapothecary   

When Serpentine Community Gallery volunteers were cleaning up after the February flood, they lamented the lost artworks of Lismore. Not just for the art that was lost from the gallery’s walls – but for all the artworks lost in local houses and businesses.That’s when the idea to put on a free art exhibition was borne - to gift ‘free’ art to Lismore’s empty walls and damaged homes.Now, in a show of good will from Lismore’s art community, an exhibition of free art will be held at Two Mates Brewery on October 8, and the community is invited to get some free artworks – or swap over ones they already have.Exhibition coordinator Cassie Can is now calling local artists to donate some artworks to go into the exhibition. Art is not a luxury“As we rebuild in Lismore, art can be seen as a bit of a luxury, but it’s important to bring beauty back to our homes and businesses too,” Cassie said.“So, we want to make art free to everybody in Lismore – because as a town, we all lost something.“So if you have any artworks you don’t want anymore, you can donate them to this free art exhibition - and give them new life on someone’s walls.“Kids can donate art too – and people can also swap any works they already have for new ones.“You can just show up on the day with art, or donate artworks prior to the event. Then, people can take home the art they like on the day.Uplift spirits“It will be a beautiful gesture of generosity and a part of the vision to uplift the spirits of the people in Lismore.”Cassie said some of the Lismore Art Club members were keen to donate artworks.“They are passionate about holding this event in a region where we have so many artists and art appreciators,” she said.Cassie said the local brewery was donating the exhibition space out of goodwill to help rebuild the local community.Local face painter Rachel Creamer will be at the free day, painting faces.Family friendly day“We can all mingle and it will be a family friendly event with activities too,” Cassie said ““There’s a lovely grassy space out the back with a kids playground and gazebo.“Rachel, a local face painter will be there and we’ll have a needle felting workshop run by Nimbin Textiles – but there are limited spaces in this workshop and you need to prebook for it.“Kyogle gelato cart and Sam’s burgers will be there providing food – and we are also looking for donations of cake for morning tea.”There will also be live music performances from 11am to 4pm, followed by more music until 8pm.On the day, people can also donate money toward helping Serpentine Gallery rebuild the local community gallery space.Serpentine Gallery president, Susan, said the rebuild of the gallery is slowly happening - and it is expected to be open for 'Ink and Mud' - an exhibition by local printmakers in December.Cassie said it’s hoped this networking event can be the beginning of local artists connecting again after the flood.“We can put this community back together and start working and inspiring each other again,” Cassie said.If you would like to get involved, donate art or cakes, contact Susan on 0409 056 976.The exhibition will be held from 11am to 4pm on Saturday, October 8 at Two Mates Brewery at 8 Engine Street, South Lismore.  

The Gilchrist Foundation is a new charity supporting educational and sporting scholarships for students of all backgrounds and disadvantage.The Foundation has been established by the Gilchrist Family, with the mission of identifying eligible students and young sportsmen and women and assist them to further their education or skills through financial assistance together with active engagement and mentoring.The inaugural Gilchrist Foundation Dinner is set to be an entertaining and educational experience and will be held at the Ballina RSL on Friday 7 October.The dinner will give guests an opportunity to learn about the Foundation, meet current students being supported and hear from former Australian Soldier Anthony “Harry” Moffitt and his story of Eleven Bats….combat, cricket and the SAS. More information can be found about Harry Moffitt at https://www.elevenbats.com.au/ The night will include a unique raffle where attendees can purchase a personally signed Adam Gilchrist cricket ball as a raffle ticket and be in the draw for some fantastic accommodation and experience prizes.There are also a large number of unique prizes on offer in the online Gala Auction. Bidders do not need to be present on the night for the auction as all prizes are online and can be bid on at anytime in the countdown to the night.Prizes include a range of interesting items including a vintage-style bespoke cricket bat replica as used by Adam Gilchrist during his stellar career, the opportunity to brew your own beer and holiday packages. Bidding is open at https://app.galabid.com/gilchrist/itemsGo to the Gilchrist Foundation web site https://gilchrist.foundation/ for all dinner and ticket details or phone Julie on 0431 764 776.

U-buds and Doobers (not Ubers) were on duty last weekend, driving hundreds of people to and from Nimbin’s annual MardiGrass drug reform rally and festival.Nimbin HEMP Embassy president Michael Balderstone said having the drug free drivers was great – allowing people to enjoy the pro-cannabis drug reform celebration without having to worry about the usual police roadside drug testing.“Thousands of people were in Nimbin over the weekend and they came from all over Australia,” Michael said.“There was lots of passion for the roadside drug testing laws to change. Cannabis users are frustrated about not being heard and the lack of reason that goes with police saliva testing.“It has nothing to do with being impaired, it’s just about the presence of weed.”“The police told me they got more people this year with saliva testing than last year,” he said. “But we will have to wait for the official figures to come out.“Were any of those drivers actually impaired? It’s a huge impact on country drivers if they lose their licences – they need to be able to drive around.”“The frustration is also about not being allowed to grow our own cannabis – and then have to pay high prices for the legally prescribed stuff – and then still not be allowed to drive while using it.”Despite the police drug testing van being present on the side of the road on the way into Nimbin, Michael said there were not many arrests this year.“But I’m still waiting for the official numbers from police – we’ll know by next week,” he said.The annual MardiGrass is normally held in May, but was postponed due to flooding earlier this year. Michael said crowd numbers were still good, despite the change of dates. “People seemed to have a good time,” he said. “They enjoyed the weather and it wasn’t too crowded.”“Next year, I’d like to hold it in May again. That coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Aquarius Festival – a week after MardiGrass, so we might do something together.”One of the highlights of the festival were live DJs in Mingle park from 5pm each day – and the spectacle that is the law reform rally parade (complete with the big joint) on Sunday afternoon.“This year, Ponyland made a fantastic float for the parade – it was best rally we’ve had in years,” Michael said.“At the HEMP symposium, speakers included West Australian HEMP party politician Dr Brian Walker who spoke about drug law reform.“The Kombie convoy on Saturday was great, so was the 420 and the HEMP Olympix.“This year was the first time we had the MardiGrass marijuana music awards – and the winner was a Gold Coast reggae group.“Gary the bullet proof monk won the pot art competition with his banner ‘The law is the crime’ that hangs outside the embassy.”

For the local Year 9 and 10 students who attended a problem solving workshop this week – it wasn’t just about finding solutions to real world problems.According to workshop organiser Karen Ramsay, from the Rivers Academy of STEM Excellence (RASE) – it’s all about creating a resilient generation of problem solvers, who are changing things little by little.Read more news: Air quality monitoring program opens to local schoolsThe RASE schools program has recently been recognised for its amazing results – and has won the NSW Government Secretary’s Award for an Outstanding School Initiative.Karen said the program has been running in 12 local schools since 2020 and works with students and teachers in Kindergarten to Year 12. Participating schools include Kadina, Richmond River, Albert Park, Bexhill, Dunoon, Goonellabah, Lismore Heights, Lismore South and Wilson Park.Dunoon Public School students at a STEM Design Thinking Process workshop.“The Rivers Academy of STEM excellence focusses on using STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) design thinking practices across the curriculum – in literacy and creative arts too,” Karen said.“It’s not a new way of thinking - businesses use it too.“We get our kids to think creatively and critically, rather than work out of textbooks.“We are getting them ready to face the world.“Today at a workshop, we have Lismore High School and three campuses of kids at a STEM process workshop.“We have Year 10 girls working on a problem about how to engage more year 10 girls in choosing STEM subjects.“This is their third day working on the problem and they brainstorm and identify why it’s a problem and what’s caused it. Then they work on their solution.“The idea is we keep things as authentic as possible, with real world problems - and they come up with amazing ideas.“The Year 9 boys chose any problem they wanted - and they chose to look at how there’s not much mental health help available here for young people Their solution is a mental health app.”Karen said the STEM thinking process they learn now are processes that will stay with the students as they move on from school.“The kids are also becoming more resilient - instead of thinking why the solution didn’t work, they ask why and what can I do about it,” she said.Karen and Zane - another RASE program staff member - attended an awards ceremony in Sydney last week, after successfully submitting the RASE program application into the Public Education Foundation, which manages the awards.They accepted a certificate on behalf of all the principlals in the academy. It was presented to them by Georgina Harrison, Secretary of the NSW Department of Education.

If you thought the taco love had left Lismore after the February flood, think again.Taco Love Bros owner Dylan Morris said it’s been a slow journey to get back to Lismore – but that he will reopen the Conway Street restaurant later this year.But first, he’s bringing all of his popular menu items from Taco Love Bros back to Lismore, at The Met, every Sunday.“Our home was innundated in the flood and we were forced to move to Casino - and we opened a business there on Barker Street,” Dylan said.“We are still displaced and living in Casino and not yet ready to open two businesses.“Before we open Taco Love Bros again, we want to be back living in Lismore again, but it’s going to take a while.“We will offer a better service to community when we are back home.”When the February flood hit Dylan’s Lismore business in February, he said it was fortunate he managed to save most of the shop gear.The building also fared well compared to other Lismore buildings that were completely submerged in the flood. Read about the shop beginnings: New taco business jumps another hurdle Still keen to be a part of the Lismore community, Dylan said he recently went to the Met for a beer one day and talked to Simon who is running the restaurant there.“Simon mentioned it would be nice to do a food collaboration,” Dylan said.“It would be a good way to be visible again and we could let the people of Lismore know we are coming back to our original location, while still having access to our food locally.“I loved the idea – it was a bigger venue and gave us a chance to offer our taste back to Lismore.”Taco Love Bros will be offering a taste of what they used to sell on their menu every Sunday at the Met on Keen Street from 1pm to 7.30pm. The menu includes tacos, nachos and quesidillas. Read more about Dylan: SUNDAY PROFILE: Taco Love Bros' Dylan Morris

Bread rolls, pies and Vietnamese food will be back this week when Millers Bakery opens its doors again.Six months after the flood, Millers Bakery owner Trent is happy to see work on the Woodlark Street bakery almost complete and hopes to be open this Wednesday or Thursday.“We are nearly ready to open – it just depends on the electrical work being finished,” he said.“It’s been a big job to get open again, but we have a good landlord who has fixed the floor and electricity to get the shop ready.“It’s lucky I have a big family here to help clean and repair things - without them, maybe we never would have come back."Trent said he and his family had taken on running the bakery only nine months before the February flood came - where he lost his bakery equipment to the water. “We have a big family business and have shops in East Lismore and Central too,” he said.The new Millers bakery will sell salad rolls, bacon and egg rolls and coffee – as well as pies, bread and a selection of Vietnamese favourites.“We’ll have pork belly roll and vermicelli rice dishes and beef soup,” Trent said.Millers Bakery will be open Monday to Friday, 5.30am to 4pm; Saturday 7am to 4pm and Sunday 7am to 2pm.

With our history of alternative lifestyles, it may not be surprising that microdosing psychedelics such as LSD or psilocybin is gaining popularity in the Northern Rivers region. So, Psychology student and Honours researcher Rebecca Bushby has decided it’s time to explore just what effects microdosing is really having on those who try it.Rebecca lives locally, but studies at Edith Cowan University – and she’s calling out for people to get involved with a confidential research study she’s doing for her Honours thesis.  “Lots of people are choosing to take psychedelics for depression, anxiety and ADHD,” she said. “But there’s not a lot of current research and we are still picking up from what was done in the 1980s.“There are considerable anecdotal reports of microdosing and a big interest in the topic of psychedelics in the Northern Rivers region, so I was hoping people could get in touch with me.“My study explores emotional competence and wellbeing in people who microdose psychedelics compared to those who have never consumed psychedelics.“The survey is confidential – we don’t take details from the person we are talking, particularly because we are talking about illicit substances.“We just want to understand why they are taking it and how.“Are they taking regulated doses and what are the effects? How does that correspond to their wellbeing.“We would like to see the practice decriminalized so people don’t have to do it unregulated.“With big pharma, we have to be careful how we approach it and bring some science behind it.“There have been clinical trials for psilocybin coming out and with mushrooms, we are able to extract at a certain growth size and calculate the correct amount to use.“Microdosers not have hallucinations or visual effects, but the underlying benefits combating suicide and depression are powerful.”Rebecca would like to hear from people in the next couple of weeks and is compiling an email list for people who want to find out the study results later. “This study will help contribute to the expansion of psychedelic research and education, and is an important extension to the growing field of psychedelic science,” she said.The study involves completing a one off anonymous online survey expected to take approximately 20-30 minutes.The study has been reviewed and approved by Edith Cowan University Human Research Ethics Committee. To take part, visit https://eaecu.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5ckZRrQe0ndyapgIf you have any questions or need more information please contact, you can contact Rebecca Bushby on rbushby@our.ecu.edu.au.

While NSW Forestry Corporation invites us to celebrate National Forestry Day today, conservationists are calling it a “day of shame for Australia”.At the heart of the issue is the logging of Australia’s native forests.Behind Forestry Corporation’s promise to plant 14.7 million seedlings to grow timber this year, is a long history of logging that doesn’t use plantation forests as the source.North East Forest Alliance spokesperson Sean O’Shannessey said the native forest logging industry “hides its appalling record of environmental vandalism behind the achievements of the sustainable plantation timber industry”.“There is no such thing as sustainable industrial logging in native forests,” Sean said.“Houses are not built out of native forest timber, they are built of softwood plantation timber.“Most of what they rip out of our threatened species homes is used for low value disposable products.“The most valuable products of our forests are water, carbon, biodiversity and tourism.“These are about 10 times the value of the trees taken by loggers, and are destroyed by driving bulldozers and chainsaws through them.“Courageous community volunteers are standing up for our forests all over NSW and will keep doing so until they are safe from forestry loggers."Forestry Corporation Forestry Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Anshul Chaudhary said “wood is the ultimate renewable resource, and the forestry cycle means organisations like Forestry Corporation can keep supplying the community with essential materials for generations to come”.“Native forestry is essential for sustainably supplying wood products for wharves, bridges, telegraph poles and our homes,” Mr Chaudhary said. “NSW’s two million hectare State forest estate and the renewable wood products it supplies actively sequester and store carbon.  “National Forestry Day also highlights the positive impacts of the state’s native forestry industry and the stringent environment it operates in. “NSW’s strict environmental regulations mean timber from native State forests is amongst the most sustainable in the world with the forests careful managed to provide timber while also supporting wildlife populations in concert with surround national parks and other forested land,” Mr Chaudhary said. “Timber harvesting operations take place in around 0.1 per cent of NSW forested land and all harvested areas are completely regenerated.” “In NSW State forests have been harvested for timber and regrown for over 100 years.“Today these forests are open to the public for free camping, mountain biking, four wheel driving and so much more. “

Lismore’s longest running vegetarian restaurant and ashram, 20,000 Cows, is about to be reborn in a new format - as the Wolf and Lamb Cafe.Since the North Lismore venue was destroyed in the February flood, owner Marijonas Vilkelis (Mari) has been trying to find a way to reopen, including running a GoFundMe fundraiser to reconstruct the building.But now, thanks to his inspired collaborators Jodie and Manny, Mari has found a new home for his signature dishes, in Nimbin.Mari, cooking inside the 20,000 Cows North Lismore venue.“Jodie was inspired to create a vegan restaurant for Nimbin,” Mari said. “So now we are working together to bring a vegan menu to the new cafe.“Manny makes Maltese vegan food at the markets and will do part of the menu.“Some of the 20,000 Cows menu faves like potato croquettes, mellawah and middle eastern dishes and curries will be too.”Damage inside the 20,000 Cows North Lismore venue after the flood.Opening dayWhile the new cafe is not ready to open yet, Mari said the three of them (and a handful of volunteers) have been working hard to get it finished. He hopes to be open before Mardi Grass on September 16.“We keep hitting snag after snag,” Mari said. “We said we’d be open two weeks ago, about a month ago and we are still not there. “So we aren’t taking bookings - we’ll just open doors when we are ready.”The cafe will be open days and evenings, from Wednesday to Saturday and is located on Cullen Street, next to Tribal Magic.The new cafe’s name Wolf and Lamb, refers back to Mari’s famous cookbook of his recipes. Maris said he chose the name because in the bible, the Prophet Isaiah wrote a prophesy about "a day will come when wolf and lamb ... will be at peace”.“It seemed like a worthwhile thing to work toward,” he said. “Most people say a wolf won’t be vegan, but the way nature is now, is consequential and we don’t know what it was at the begin of existence – it’s become that from something else.“Humans aren’t the same as back then. I like to think that if we stop creating death and suffering, then the load on the planet will lessen.”His vision of a safe haven inspired the concept of calling the restaurant an ashram – an ancient Sanscrit word for sanctuary.Damage inside the 20,000 Cows North Lismore venue after the flood.History and futureMari first opened 20,000 Cows in Bridge Street, North Lismore in 1996. It was his sixth restaurant.Mari said his love of making food started in 1979 in Melbourne after he did his first 41 day fast.“I had a vision to create a restaurant and so I went on to do that,” he said.“Opening again in Nimbin gives me a chance to finish off the tracks that I started.“Now, the new restaurant is hopefully stepping a stone to heaven.“I have a theme I like to work with – that the definition of professionalism is a procedure toward self redundancy“So I’ll be teaching other people to make the food.“It will be a relief to have income again, as I’ve been living off my savings all year."

It might seem strange, but the connection between ukuleles, Lismore floods and storytelling is taking local SCU academic Jeanti St Clair to the Byron Writers Festival this weekend.Jeanti will join a panel of speakers discussing how creativity plays an important role in communities recovering from natural disasters. “The journey back from the emotional and mental trauma of climate disasters is huge,” Jeanti said. “If we can take part in a gentle creative process, it can help process traumas.“Part of the work is to create events that provide gentle opportunities for people to engage creatively in processing grief and trauma.“Particularly with single experience events, often you can benefit from sharing your stories – it can be a creative and therapeutic expression.”Flood Stories ProjectJeanti’s Flood Stories project began in 2017 after the Lismore flood and culminated in audio walks through the streets of Lismore.The project continued this year after the February and March floods, when Jeanti again gathered flood stories from people in the Lismore community who had been affected by flooding.“I have now updated the Flood Stories website to make space for other projects - and I’ve teamed up with local photographer Raymond De Weerdt to capture pictures of civilian rescuers.“We are talking about holding an exhibition next year and publishing a book called 'Rescue', capturing the experiences of the flood rescuers, their terrifying moments on water and the experience problem solving in doing it.“After some of the rescuers told me their stories, they said ’I didn’t know if I could tell it again, but I feel better for it'.“The creative methodology helped them process their experience – they felt seen and acknowledged.”The Creative Recovery panelThe Creative Recovery panel will be at the Byron Writers Festival at 11.30am, this Sunday, August 28.Jeanti said on the panel will be other locals talking about a similar process of engaging communities in mental health recovery - talking about bushfire recovery and other projects in Wollongbar and Ballina.“I’m involved with a larger collective alliance of creatives, teachers and mental health professionals - and we all came together as the creative first aid alliance,” Jeanti said.Ukelele ClubAs well as her flood stories project, Jeanti is using the power of musical expression to help the Lismore community recover from the floods.“I’ve started the ukulele club and we will have monthly uke events where people can gather, strum and sing along ,” she said.“It activates positive hormones and switches on the vagus nerve and makes you feel happier.“Byron Music donated ukeleles and I’m giving them away to flood affected people who come to the club.”If anyone wants to join the uke club, look for Lismore Uke Club on Facebook for updates.Byron Writers FestivalThe 2022 Byron Writers Festival will take place this Friday 26 August to Sunday 28 August.More than 140 writers and thinkers will converge on Byron Bay to explore the theme ‘Radical Hope’ and celebrate the power of words with festival audiences.The event takes place on the grounds adjacent to Elements of Byron Resort (144 Bayshore Drive, Byron Bay) and includes five stages, hosting sessions on a range of topics such as the environment, social issues, the arts, science, crime, poetry, politics, memoir and fiction.This year’s line-up includes best-selling authors Trent Dalton (Love Stories), Hannah Kent (Devotion) and Rob Drewe (Nimblefoot), artist Ben Quilty (Free Fall) and actor Bryan Brown (Sweet Jimmy), authors and commentators Indira Naidoo (The Space Between The Stars), Sarah Wilson (This One Wild and Precious Life) and Julia Baird (Phosphorescence), prize winning poet Evelyn Araluen (Dropbear) Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis (Costa's World) and British philosopher A.C. Grayling (For The Good of the World) amongst many more. 3-Day and 1-Day Passes are available as well as tickets to a selection of Feature Events and workshops. Tickets can be purchased online via byronwritersfestival.com/tickets or from the onsite Festival box office from Friday 26 August.